On occasion I have been known to abandon all things and HIATUS.
Hiatuses are actually very hard for me because I detest neglecting my blog and the internet realms. What’ll happen if I’m not here to oversee everyone?? THE WORLD WILL BURN, MOST LIKELY. THE END TIMES WILL COME. Can anyone even function without doses of my daily magnificence???? *
But all bloggers need breaks so abandoning you to the darkness is a sacrifice I’m willing to make.
I’ll be gone for 7 – 10 days. And by “gone” I mean, I’ll still be 100% on twitter and instagram because I AM OBSESSED BASICALLY. And there is no way on this side of the apocalypse that I’d go a week without internet. The blogging world may collapse without me, but at least I’ll be a vague shadow in the distance, repinning cute duckling gifs and tweeting about my novel’s rebellious teenage years.
But because I just know you’re going to miss me AND are curious about my hiatus, today I’m listing 4 things I’ll be getting up to while I’m on hiatus. All average holiday things that normal ** people ***do I’m sure.
* The answer to this is: no, no you cannot function. I assume you will all potatofiy while I’m gone.
** Except that I don’t even know what “normal” is. Like sometimes I pretend to be normal? But it’s usually a severely awkward 4.6 seconds and then I revert back to climbing my bookshelf in my Batman socks and yelling at my dog to make me a sandwich.
*** I’M NOT EVEN “PEOPLE”!! Who is writing this post because they are horribly misinformed. I am the immortal dragon queen.
1. I WILL BE WRITING A MARVELLOUS BOOK FOR A PRE-NANOWRIMO WARMUP BECAUSE WHY NOT.
The first truth is: I haven’t written/edited anything for nearly 3 months. I’m super lazy, which is like general lazy but I get to wear a cape. And the second truth is: I have way way too many ideas and if I don’t splatter them onto the page occasionally, I GO A LITTLE WILDLY PSYCHOTIC. *
But what is this marvellous project I’m working on? OH OH I’M GLAD YOU ASKED. ** Here is a brief list of facts about it:
- It is an epic high fantasy that is actually ADULT. ***
- YES. ME. WRITING. AN. ADULT. BOOK. It’s equal parts terrifying and worrying. But the reason I chose to go with adult (despite being a 100% YA author up until, like, today) is because people keep telling me “Noooooo Cait you can’t kill all the characters you must have a small message of hope!” and also “Nooooo Cait that’s too dark and violent and we thought you were a nice kind gentle hearted bean!” Well. NO. I am stabby dragon-soulled hellion. And I will write a stabby book. I WILL.
- Also fun backstory: I’m going back to the fantasy series I started writing at 15. (I can’t seem to let go?? I have attachment issues?) Back then it was a 7-book series with talking horses and everyone got married at the end AND THEN DIED. Oh the drama. This time it’ll be much much darker and it’ll only be a trilogy. But possibly everyone will still get married at the end and then die.
- We’ll see what mood I’m in.
- The working title is: The Kill Season. Isn’t that comforting?
- I have a 17,000-word outline so #help. This book is going to be a square cube.
- I have a gorgeously aesthetically-pleasing pinterest storyboard too, by the way. PINTEREST IS VERY VERY CRUCIAL TO THE WRITING PROCESS. This is no exaggeration.
- BUT WHAT IS THE STORY ACTUALLY ABOUT??????
- Here is a list of basic ingredients: hellish dragon queen + very stabby dryad-ish tree people + war and war and war + carving people’s flesh and bones into wizards + forbidden hate-love romance + jungles + princess kidnappings + an unfortunately height-challenged protagonist.
- Yeah…no. Who even knows what this book is about.
- I’m also quite keen on the amount of diversity in here. Because half the cast will be POC and as the series goes on there will be blindness, ADHD, and Autism representation (because I believe fantasies need to represent more disabilities). I’m totally nervous about it all BUT THAT’S OKAY. Nervous = you care and will work hard to get it right. And, like, there will be dragons so that’s also diverse.
- BASICALLY THIS IS A MUCH BELOVED STORY OF MINE AND I’M SO EXCITED TO BE GETTING BACK TO IT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS I CAN BARELY CONTAIN MYSELF.
- There is a 67% chance I will tweet snippets so stalk me, fiends. That chance may rise if you, well, bribe me, perhaps.
* Which is not that…different…to…usual, I guess?
** Okay fine. I’m aware you didn’t even ask and for all I know you could be more interested in that mulberry cupcake you’re eating instead of what book I’m about to write, BUT I’M EXCITED SO I’M GOING TO FORCE YOU TO BE EXCITED WITH ME.
*** Cue distant screams and childhood crayons exploding.
2. I WILL BE RECREATIONALLY PANICKING AND SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTING OVER MY TBR AND MY BLOG.
I totally envy all humans who take hiatuses and are fiiiiiine with leaving their blogs unattended. BUT THIS IS MY BABY PRECIOUS FURY DARLING AND I DON’T LIKE TO SEE IT NEGLECTED. Watching page stats decline to the pits of Tartarus is always depressing too. Although, weirdly, I seem to get a spike in new followers whenever I don’t blog. What is this.
And that TBR? I mean, I look away for 5 minutes and it’s over there…GROWING LIKE A MUTANT HUNGRY TEENAGE BOY. I can’t even with it.
Oh and: no I don’t balance writing + blogging + reading. I JUST CAN’T. Whenever I write a book, I abandon 100% of everything else because I’m a binge-writer. Hiatus for me is 20,000 words a day + naps + vaguely petting a packet of chocolate because it’s becoming my BFF. * But I do so miss reading whenever I take a writing-hiatus.
* Does this mean I would eat my BFF if they were made out of chocolate? Yes. Yes I would.
3. I WILL SPEND A HORRENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIME LOVE/HATING ON MY WRITING.
I think this is what all writers suffer from right?! One minute, your writing is pure genius…and then 9 seconds later it’s just 26 random letters stapled together in worse combinations than a packet of alphabet soup.
Accurate Summary Of My Writing Process:
100-words: I hate this I have no idea how to start this what am I doing.
10,000-words: This actually has a smidge of potential.
25,000-words: I’M TIRED. I WANT A NAP. I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS IS TAKING SO LONG TO WRITE.
30,000-words: You know…I could see this on the NYT bestseller list. I’m just sayin’.
40,000-words: I gotta start killing characters so this can finish up.
50,000-words: The amount of editing I’m going to have to do is murderous. I’m never going to look at this again. Where is the holy fire? I need some. I also need a new career stat.
60,000-words: I don’t even know what’s happening anymore. I’M JUST TYPING WORDS.
70,000-words: I’m ending this catastrophe before it ends me and I HATE IT WITH THE FIRE OF A THOUSAND SUNS. But it’s also brilliant. It’s both. Simultaneously. Where is my cake and the country I’m taking over in celebration omg.
4. I’LL HAVE TO PUT UP WITH ALL THE OTHER INCONVENIENCES THAT COME WITH BINGE-WRITING A BOOK IN A WEEK.
Such as:
- My hands falling off because of overuse.
- My laptop keys breaking because “B” and “O” are already on the way out, but I can get by without them, right??? As long as I can type “CAKE” my books will be fine.
- My family forgetting who I am because they never see me.
- My dog forcing himself between me and my laptop and sitting on my hands. Lucky he’s so cute.
- All my library reserves coming in at once because THAT ALWAYS HAPPENS.
- MY BRAIN EXPLODING BECAUSE OF SHEER OVERUSE BUT I’M SURE IT’LL BE FINE. WHO NEEDS A BRAIN ANYWAY HAHAHAH HAH HA.
But is writing a book worth it? It is absolutely worth it. But at least now you know what I’ll be doing while I’m on this supposed hiatus. I say “supposed” hiatus because I’M NOT REALLY HAVING A HOLIDAY HERE AM I?? But who needs holidays? Not hyper-obsessed overachievers apparently.
I tend to do it with absolutely no notifications ever because I don’t even actually know that I’m about to take one. Like, I took a maaaassssssiiiivvvvvvvveeeeeee bloggy break when I realised I wanted to prioritise my novel. And I finished it. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
But your book series sounds awesome!! Diversity for the win also, by the way! That’s so awesome that you feature POC in a fantasy novel, considering most of the diversity I read is in contemporary. I WILL BUY MYSELF COPIES WHEN IT COMES OUT. I embarrassingly don’t write POC cos I’m absolutely terrifiied that I’ll misrepresent them and that’s the LAST thing I want to do. But my WIP has a lot of dealing with mentally ill characters AND has LGBT+ AND has feminists (does feminists count as diversity? Idk but I’m counting it anyway). So I do have some diversity, and I’m trying my absolute best to represent them all correctly. At the very least I have first hand experience with mental illness (not that anyone wants to) and I’m a feminist killjoy for the win SO YAY.
Woooooow I just went really rambly there! But great post anyway!
Trisha xx
Taking breaks to finish writing IS REALLY GREAT THO, SO GO US AND OUR PRIORITIES. *hi fives* 😂
Also thank you! And yes omg isn’t it a shame that fantasy can be even more narrow than contemporary?? It’s ridiculous. We can imagine ANYTHING WE WANT and yet it’s so hard to find POC protagonists in fantasy? Hmm. Life is weird. I shall fix this. *nods* I feel like fantasy is the best though, because no rules and no cultures except for what I make up.😂 Also I’m loving the diversity of your WIP too! YOU GO, YOU FANTASTIC WRITER! And we can always get the right beta-readers to help us out, right?! *nods*
I WILL MISS YOUR POSTS, but still glad you’ll be on Twitter. Have fun with your writing. If you have any more of your beautiful books that you want people to read chuck me an email because I NEED ALL THE BOOKS BY CAIT!
Awww, thanks, Julia!😂 This one will need editing SO MUCH before anyone even peeks at it.😂
As much as I will miss your amazing posts, you deserve a break. I honestly don’t know how you do it all. You blog, write/edit, are regular on social media, and you read a ton. So take your hiatus and write as many words as you like my baby dragon (sorry. Haha. You’re not a baby dragon. You’re a very mature adult dragon.).
I haven’t taken a hiatus yet because I’ve only been blogging for a little bit. But I’m probably more likely to disappear with no explanation, reappear, and then disappear for a few more days.
You’re book sounds great! Can’t wait to hear more about it and stalk your twitter updates about it.
Aww, AREN’T YOU SWEET. I’m definitely like an adorable adult dragon, though, for sure. Adorable and deadly. < -- That'll be on my dragon business card *nods* Last time I took a hiatus in April I just vanished for a week AND I FELT KIND OF BAD. 😂 So I figured fair warning this time!
I am kind of taking a blogging break because MY LAPTOPS DISPLAY STOPPED WORKING and it could maybe be fixed by next month but probably not and I might need a new laptop and it’s basically terrible. I’m using a chromebook right now, and chromebooks suck. But I have blog posts ready to go I just need to publish them. Anyway I have kind of taken hiatuses because periodically my family goes on holiday, so I usually schedule a couple of posts then leave. Your book sounds really cool, but really dark. I have to work on my WIP but I have two short story projects and one big essay and the SAT’s to prep for, so my time has been stolen. I usually don’t mind them but then I hate it once I start to edit.
What what that is terrible news. I CRY FOR YOU, SHANTI. *shrieks* I hope it gets fixed soon. And I used to take annual hiatuses for family holidays but now I don’t go on family holidays (yayyy omg I hate holiday trips😂) and like I COULD schedule posts, but then I’d have to play catch-up on the comments and sometimes I just ned an entire break. hehe.
Oh good luck preparing for your SATs though!!
I’ll miss youuuuuu Cait! But your book sounds so amazing!!! Wow! I’ll send you cake by AirMail if you release snippets! Pleeease! Because we are all potatofying already! ❤️😊
I SHALL DO A SNIPPET POST BECAUSE YOU ASKED SO NICELY.
YAY THANK YOU SO MUCH CAIT!!! I’m EXCITED! ❤️
I absolutely adore your “accurate summary of my writing process” I can completely relate to that!
Ahhh *hi fives* We are twins in this then.😂
Regular breaks from blogging, did you say? OVER MY DEAD BODY. I hate taking breaks. Even though I’m writing like 3 books and other things (which I can’t say anything about yet, just in case it doesn’t happen) I still refuse to take a break. *cue Two Steps From Hell battle song*
I had this three week break while I was on holiday, but that was because I didn’t have access to a computer, and then when I got back, my mom made me take two more weeks off. 0_o. ahem.
As for balancing writing and blogging, who ever said anything about balancing???? If there’s a blog post that needs finishing, I stop everything else and finish it. The days when I’m not blogging are spent writing. (This is why I have such a hard time finishing my stories.)
Um. I love/hate my first drafts. Like, I love them because I wrote them, but I hate them because they need soooo much cleaning up.
THIS IS FUNNY BECAUSE I’M LISTENING TO EPIC BATTLE SONGS RIGHT NOW.😂 I don’t even know why??? I need an epic battle soundtrack to answer comments apparently. AHEM. But anyway! I hear you! Taking breaks is hard. Although I don’t know how you manage to multitask it all *bows to your skills*
And SAME with 1st drafts.😂 I finished this one and I love it because IT IS MY BABY. But I hate the editing that’s coming. *packs bags and runs away*
I love how it’s a diverse fantasy and YES WHY ARE THERE NO SHORT PEOPLE IN BOOKS?! This sounds so freaking awesome Cait, I love how excited you are about this book because it sounds FANTASTIC!
AHHH THANK YOU, JEANN. And honestly omg we need more small people in books. Particularly boys. Like I do read a lot of small girls like Tris was small right? And Zuzana from Daughter of Smoke and Bone. BUT WE NEED VERTICALLY CHALLENGED BOYS TOO. I’m here to fill a need. :’)
Your book sounds amazing! Definitively something I would like to reas! But I’m gonna miss your posts 🙁
Omggg, THANK YOU. That is so encouraging!!
Good luck with your “break” or rather good luck with your writing since you’ll be writing and technically not breaking. Also that sounds super exciting and I like all the diversity there! I would be excited to read that 😊
Also, I envy your pre Nano writing hahah. I’m over here panicking about finishing my edits on last year’s Nano so I can focus on this one without distraction. November feels like a looming deadline right now but I kind of need deadlines to function.
That is true.😂 Although I just finished writing so I’m spending a few days DOING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING before getting back to blogging! Well, wait, I’m answering comments. haha. After this, I’ll do absolutely nothing. *nods* (Edits are so much harder than a first draft though I reckon!)
Your wit and wisdom and dragon overlordly-ness will be missed…but we’ll have to survive… 😉
Good luck surviving your self-imposed hiatus! Conquer that book!!!
Thankyou, Daley! Hopefully I’ll come back really refreshed with tons of post ideas!😂
Good luck with your writing! When I take blogging hiatuses, it’s usually by accident. I just get really busy and don’t have time to blog. Luckily, I have a small blog, and I’m pretty good with scheduling posts, so people don’t even notice I’m gone.
Thank you, AJ!! *flails* It’s being a nice hiatus now that I’ve finished writing. I’m just colouring and watching too much youtube.😂 BUT I’LL BE BACK SOON!
Dude your book sounds… fabulously ominous! Especially the ending bit… getting killed AFTER being married? Now that is what I call TRUE TRAGEDY. My condolences to all future readers, including myself.
I’m no writer, as you already know…. but either way, I find the act of balancing different tasks extremely difficult. Take grad school fir example… add my freelance work on top because well, books cost money… and life in general doesn’t come cheap 🙁
Good luck with your book dude! Can’t wait to some day actually buy a real hardcover (or paperback) book written by Cait Grace… what’s your name?? OMG shoot me…
Ohh it is ominous.😂 But I save all the WORST deaths for the end…because it’s going to be a trilogy. Because apparently I’m getting super long winded in my old age. Like usually I write 60K standalones. And this monster is a 130K part of a trilogy. #dead 😂😂 ANYWAY. I think people who can balance things are the true wizards.
Hopefully I’ll be published one day. I’m working at it!😂
YAY ON BLOODY DRAGON QUEENS.
And I recently took a hiatus and I felt so guilty doing it, but I had too, and now that I’m back I feel refreshed? AND YES, the weird spike in new followers! That happened this past week and I couldn’t understand why. Maybe because you’re not posting every day so that way they can read through your entire blog (although don’t, please. It’s awful back there)
AND NANOWRIMO IS ACOMING. SOOOON. I typed out a pros/cons list on my three options and now they’re hanging on my wall where I have to stare at them and then decide which one I want to do.
ALL THE BLOODY DRAGON QUEENS WOOOOO. And this one is seriously bad. Like I kept glaring at her.😂 So wonderful omg.
I like the feeling of being refreshed when one comes back from hiatus! So that’s why I definitely tell myself it’s okay to take them. Haha. Even though I mildly freak out at my blog being all lonely and unattended. But seriously, I hope no one is lurking in my archives.😳 I will die of embarrassment.
BUT YOU’RE DOING A PRE-NANO BOOK TOO, RIGHT? I JUST SAW ON TWITTER. #winning You and I are geniuses.
I very much am. A northern California gothic with all the typical implied things; birds-that-aren’t-birds, possibly-ghost-girls-in-abanonded-houses, cows-that-might-eat-people, roads-that-might-do-the-same, fun stuff like that.
Have fun on your hiatus and writing your book! I love how your idea of a pre-NaNo warmup is “hey, let’s write another book.” (I should probably finish my current WIP before November . . . y’know. Just maybe.) Your book sounds quite fascinating. Possibly a little dark for my tastes, but that’s just me. And in one of my favorite series, a lot of the main characters do kind of die in the end, so I don’t know.
Thank you, Sarah!! But yes, omg, isn’t pre-NaNo warmups THE GREATEST IDEA?? (No not really.😂 But here I am.) And I totally get that! It’s probably the darkest book I’ve done so definitely not for everyone. Everyone dies rather messily in this one. OKAY NOT EVERYONE. I keep some alive for the sequels. (Actually I’m being totally dramatic. Only one important character dies.😂 IT’S NOT EVEN THAT BAD.)
I LOVE the sound of your story! XD Only you would be able to write a pre-NaNoWriMo novel at the end of September. 😉
I’M TOTALLY INSANE.😂 Although last year I was worse and wrote it at the beginning of October. So I only had like 2 and a half weeks to plan my NaNo book.😂😂 Baaad idea.
I am officially a potato…
But oh my goodness, your story sounds amazing! Please, please PLEASE share snippets!!! I need to know what happens!!! Like, seriously, I will die…
As for whether I love or hate my first drafts… I usually hate them…(and also I rarely finish them, but who’s keeping count, right? [I totally am…]) But I’ve got an amazing idea for NaNo, and so I’m hoping this next first draft that I spew out all over the screen will be amazing! (It probably will not be…)
I will definitely share snippets! SOON. I PROMISE. *nods* And also I usually hate first drafts too so so much so don’t worry. You’re in good company with me.😂 But I hope NaNo goes awesomely for you! I will be doing it too so we can write and shout at chocolate together, which is basically the writerslife, amirite?!
Oh my word that sounds fantastic!!! (And I saw the snippets!!! I am officially a fangirling potato…)
I cannot wait for NaNo… I’m not at all already, but I shall either win or perish.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH CAIT YOUR BOOK SOUNDS SO AMAZING AND WHEN DO I GET TO READ IT AND/OR ANYTHING ELSE YOU’VE WRITTEN BECAUSE I LOVE STABBY SO VERY MUCH AND YOU DO STABBY VERY WELL. *NODS* HAVE FUN ON YOUR HIATUS. OR, I MEAN, WRITE. AND THEN COME BACK BECAUSE I’M ALREADY SLIGHTLY SUFFOCATING. I THINK MY TOES ARE A BIT POTATO-Y ALREADY.
THANK YOU AMY. I HAVE HAD A VERY GOOD HIATUS AND WILL BE RETURNING VERY SOON WITH MUCHLY GLORIOUS POSTS SO THE WORLD DOESN’T PERISH FOR TOO LONG WITHOUT ME.
OH GOODIE. I’M ABOUT HALF POTATO, I THINK YOU’D BETTER HURRY BACK!
I WILL MISS YOU SO MUCH BUT YOUR BOOK SOUNDS GLORIOUS. all ur books sound glorious and wonderfully stabby-ish and gorgeously dragon-y and perfect tbh. WHEN WILL THEY ALL BE PUBLISHED BECAUSE I NEEDED THEM 987345938754 YEARS AGO. *is slowly dying because of lack of ur books on my bookshelf* Have fun!!! Kill all the people!!! Hopefully your fingers won’t fall off!!!
THANK YOU, MY KIND BEANISH FRIEND. *gives you cake because you are so nice* Hopefully one day?!? Although this book is more like a “just for fun” project.😂
Hello! I’ve not been here for, like, ages, because I am the worst at balancing blogging and everything else … I have a new job and I’m first drafting so yup goodbye blogosphere … Oops … But yes, in theory I balance, because I write like 1k a day. So if I took a hiatus to write a 100+k first draft?? That would be called LEAVING.
Looooving the sound of your book, especially the dryads (if there is any tree magic involved I AM THERE. Hence the city and the TREES. I can’t keep away) and the height-challenged protagonist! (My life actually has a height-challenged protagonist, that is, me, I am the height-challenged protagonist …) Ooh also love/hate romance! One of my favourite kinds!
Yeah, most of the time when I’m writing I’m like oh book u r a bit of a mess but I love u and so will others some day ((but you’re definitely an acquired taste)), but other times I’m like THIS IS THE WORST DRIVEL ANYONE HAS EVER PENNED WHAT IS YOUR LIFE, but just occasionally I think hot DANG this is a good book! ….. so yeah I’m very balanced.
Happy writing! :*
I HEAR YA WITH BALANCING THINGS THOUGH!! Meeee.😂 I can’t seem to multitask much these days omg. Anyway. But like that’s awesome that you’re a consistent writer! I really admire that. :’) I caaaan’t do it. I tried, but ended up hating writing so much I quite for like half a year hhaha. Ahem.
I think we totally need more height-challenged protagonists out there. ESPECIALLY BOYS. Because the girls get it all the time, but where are my overly short boys?? I HAVE ONE. I put in so many short jokes it’s hilarious. To me anyway.😂
I literally need to try writing a book in a week, because who doesn’t love to go insane? It would be great to finally FINISH ALL THE BOOKS BOUNCING AROUND IN MY LITTLE HAMSTER BRAIN.
What is your editing process?? Besides screaming at your computer, obviously. Have you ever done a post on your editing process? If not, you should. But *casual shrug* whatever, it’s cool. Because I don’t want to tell you how to live your life, though I would be more than happy to sit back and judge if you needed an opinion or advice. 😉
TOTALLY TRY IT. 10/10 WOULD RECOMMEND GOING INSANE LIKE THIS. *nods sagely*
I have done a post on my editing process and I SHALL FIND IT FOR YOU! *digs wildly through the archives* Oh here it be. 😂 I do plan to do a post soon on my top editing tips though! I mean, besides eat cake and cry. Because those are my current top go-tos.
NOOO I shall miss you! You’re right, your absence will cause me to live no more and the end times are surely coming. 😉
Your fantasy book sounds SO FLIPPING AWESOME.. Can I please receive a copy right away? Thank you very much.
So I am the best at leaving my blog and not posting for thousands of years without worrying, and it’s really bad. Like seriously,I am the worst blogger. I need to work on it.
Elizabeth
http://whimsicalthoughtss.blogspot.com/
THE WORLD IS DYYYYYING WITHOUT ME. IT’S A TRUE TRAGEDY. AWK. *sad face* (But omg thank you! I’m so glad you like the sound of my book!😂)
OMG HOW DID YOU MANAGE THAT PHOTO WITH ALL THOSE FLOATING BOOKS?!?!? WHAT SORCERY IS THISSSS???? I hate being on hiatus, but sometimes, you gotta do what you gotta do.. or in the case of blogging, sometimes you gotta not do the thing you gotta do because you have other things you gotta do… or.. something XD Yeah, that made sense lol.
Brittany @ Brittany’s Book Rambles
I JUST AM A WIZARD, BRITTANY. THAT’S THE HONEST TRUTH OF THE MATTER. (Also picmonkey photo manipulation but shhh #wizard.)😂 And yes, ugh, hiatus and being separated from my baby is PAIN but also needed sometimes. And like I generally come back super keen to blog, so that’s a bonus!
Good luck! I’m so excited to hear how the writing of this series goes. I’m in love with what you’ve said so far!! 🙂
Ahhh thank you, Abi. <33
Good luck and enjoy writing, Cait! I’ve been taking hiatus from blogging because of traveling. Haha. Blogging is more way more exhausting and time consuming than reading and bookstagramming, sigh. I need some motivation!
http://laxsourire.blogspot.my/
Blogging IS so exhausting! I mean, it’s wonderful and I love it, but also exhausting.😂 Breaks are good!
Oh my gosh Cait your book sounds amazing!! How do you think of such original ideas?(; I’m not a great blogger anyway, but I think I can balance blogging and writing because I handwrite everything in my stories, so I’m not tempted to visit my blog if I’m writing(:
Ohhh handwriting is AMAZING. Go you for that dedication!!! And I’m not sure my ideas are particularly original haha, don’t worry.😂 They’re just a whole bunch of things from a whole bunch of sources all smushed together and VOILA. 😉
Hahaha… all the library reserves coming in at once. Yeah, I know. This is why I never reserve more than one book at a time anymore because this always happens. Even if one book looks like it’s going to take 15 months to come in and the other one will take maybe two days, they’ll both come in at the same time next week. 😛
AWGH I swear…I have no control. I reserved like 16 books the other day because I saw the library bought a ton of new ones. I CAN’T HELP MYSELF. They’ll all come in at once for sure now. 😂😂
This post is absolutely hilarious ! I’m not a writer but I can translate this on when I’m studying for my midterms and It’s ABSOLUTELY HORRIFYING !!! The thoughts that go through your head with word counts go through mine with day countdowns, I just feel kike pulling my hair out by the end???
Anywho, this was so funny to read and I hope I get to read your books one day because CAKES. AND DRAGONS. AND KILLINGS. My favorite things in the whole whide world! Good luck 😀
I’M REALLY GLAD YOU ENJOYED IT!! And yes I can definitely see how the thoughts would be a bit similar for exams ahhaha. Although I’ve never done exams like that, SO I’LL JUST TRUST YOU.😂 But aww, thankyou! It’s a ‘just for fun’ sort of project now, but who knows what’ll happen one day. :’)
I LOVE THE PREMISE OF YOUR BOOK! And especially venturing into a new genre (!!) and including more diversity (!!!!) and going back to a book you wrote when you were fifteen (!!!!!!!!). I hope you have fun (hah) writing it and that you’re keyboard buttons for CAKE don’t die!
OHHHH THANK YOU!! *flails happily* I had so much fun it was actually ridiculous. I’m literally sad that it’s finished. (And, um, plotting the next two books…not obsessed. Nopity no.)😂
I just took an inadvertent blogging break called, “I fell and got a concussion and also my son started middle school and had daily meltdowns and also it was the second week of school as a teacher.” So I think “I’m going to go write an amazing book” is probably a little more holiday-ish? So at least there’s that. (That was meant to be encouraging, btw, not bitter. Tone is so hard online.)
Your first photo up there has me all kinds of concerned. How can you feature three of my very favorites and one meh? (And no, I’m not telling which are which.) HOW ARE THEY FLYING? Or are you really so magical that you can toss books in the air and have them hover in perfect formation, covers facing the camera? Also, now I must go read Paper & Fire (which I’ve never heard of) and Orphan Queen (which I have), because of the very good company you put them with.
Omg a concussion! I hope you’re doing okay. :O But all seems like a very good reason to go on hiatus *nods*
I AM A WIZARD, I TOLD YOU THAT. THAT IS THE SECRET. MWHAHHAAH. (Also, um, like photo manipulation on picmonkey helps? NO NO WAIT. JUST PURE WIZARD POWERS.)
Oh, Caaaait! You’re leaving us again! 🙁 I miss you when you go! But hey, those books aren’t going to write themselves. I will keep myself occupied by reading more books 🙂 Your book sounds AWESOME and I am so intrigued!! When it comes to fantasy, I only really read adult, because I don’t find that many YA high fantasies? So yaaay! 😀
I don’t really take breaks… I kind of continue reading and reviewing, but stop doing everything else. Because I can’t not read books… but I can’t leave reviewing them until later, because I forget, If I’m on holiday, I tend to write my reviews by hand and type them up when I get home. But I don’t go on holiday often, so that’s fine.
Enjoy you’re writing, Cait! See you in a week or so! 🙂
Oh yes those books are definitely not going to writ themselves. They neeeed me. hhahah. My TBR however, has a mind of it’s own and it’s getting to be a worry. It grew by like 7 books AND I DIDN’T EVEN GO ANYWHERE OR DO ANYTHING OMG.😂
I actually am finding myself very annoyed with adult fantasy atm honestly. It all feels so samey! I’ve been really enjoying reading some adult ones so I’m like “GONNA TRY THIS NOW” Eeep. I’ll have to wait for betas to tell me if It worked or not though. *goes to bury self*
Sometimes I don’t blog or do much with the blog but it doesn’t usually last too long. I don’t think I’ve had a proper blogging break for awhile now. I don’t like leaving the blog for too long either. I am trying to schedule ahead though so it’s not AS stressful. Good luck with your new book! That’s awesome you are writing an adult book this time around. I really need to work on my own writing too.
I do like scheduling too, but then I still have to keep up with comments or I get flooded.😂 So sometimes I need the ENTIRE time off hahah. But I miss it so much when I’m not blogging. 😛
THANKYOU!!
No, no, OH MY GOSH BRILLIANT, and yes, sort of *sobs* *wails* *grinds teeth because that is what tormented people do*
Your posts always make me want to start writing or reading or blogging or picture taking or whatever the subject is about. WHAT IS THIS?!? ARE YOU A JEDI???????? If so, I am so glad! Now, I have motivation!!!!!! Yeah, I need to get started on my Rapunzel the warrior in Egypt story. Like I AM SO DANG EXCITED ABOUT THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *screams* (Geez, I do an awful lot of screaming) anyway, thanks for that!!!!!!! Now, see ya! I’m gonna go write!
~E
YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY START WRITING AND READING AND BLOGGING AND TAKING PHOTOS. But all simultaneously. Seriously be taking pictures with one eyeball while typing a blog post with your toe. You can do it. BE ALL THE TALENTED! *flings confetti in the air* And omg Rapunzel in Egypt?!? GO WRITE THAT.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha! I should win something for being the best multi-tasker!!
Okay okay I’m going!
I am so bad with hiatuses. SO. BAD. I can’t do it. I tried for a few days, and then like you said, cried all the tears when my stats tanked. And they NEVER recovered, so that just reaffirms this notion that I can never, ever leave. So that’s SUPER, because I never wanted a break, right? (WRONG, I need breaks before my head explodes like the unfortunate creatures in that GIF.)
I absolutely cannot blog and write. I learned THAT little tidbit the hard way during NaNo. I think I almost died? I am only mildly exaggerating, I was so disgustingly tired and weepy and it was good for NO ONE- including the blog, the story, and anyone who had to interact with me. And the worst part was, I have literally been lazy ever since because I am so scared to go BACK to that place of exhaustion and horribleness.
When I first finished with NaNo, I was proud. The story wasn’t done or even close- but I was proud of some of it. Now, I am proud of like, 2% of it, and the rest I find to be complete and utter rubbish. I considered re-doing it for NaNo this year but I really want to find something else to do. And I NEED to take a hiatus. NEED. Or at least, scale WAYYY back. Stats be damned!
Also, I will miss you. But this book sounds INCREDIBLE and also super mean, which is the best combo, yes? GOOD LUCK!!
I get it. I DO. *pats shoulder* I think one has to be brave if one is (A) and over achiever, and (B) super controlling of their blog…LIKE MEEEE.😂 I’m hopeless. I am. But it is actually really a nice release when you let it goooooo (#FrozenFTW) and just let yourself have a bit of a break. Although that saying, I finished writing and the next day I was writing a post.😂 I CAN’T HELP MYSELF.
Ugh, but yeah, I don’t think it’s wise to try and do EVERYTHING all the time. It’s hard enough blogging + reading.😂 I know that sounds weird considering WE ARE BOOK BLOGGERS…but seriously?!? Some times I can spend more time answering comments and visiting blogs than actually reading. Waahhhhh.
Am I rambling? I’m totally rambling. THIS IS BECAUSE I’VE MISSED CHATTING TO EVERYONE.
Are you going to take a hiatus and do NaNo this year then? IF YOU ARE, I’LL BE HERE TO GIVE YOU COMFORTING CAKE! SUPPORT GROUP!
Gah, it IS hard. Though it doesn’t surprise me that you have written an entire book and jumped right back in 😉 I am taking… well, not a hiatus. But maybe like, calming WAYY down. It’s good because I only have a few review books for November, and I can even review a few in October, but tbh, I am kind of scared of NaNo because it was HARD haha.
I feel like I REGULARLY spend more time reading blogs and commenting than I do reading and actually blogging myself. I still will NEVER understand your sorcery, and how you manage to get it all done!
Oh trust me I don’t even do HALF as much as I used to.😂 Last year I was on fire. This year I am a potato hahahh. Ahem. But good on you for taking it slow if you need to, as well! (Wait are you doing NaNo?!)
The last time we wrote anything that was remotely novelly (is that even a word?) was in March and we’re so ashamed😂 Wait. Does plotting and brainstorming count?
If so, that happens on a daily basis and Pinterest. The best visual guide for aspiring authors and already there authors in the world.
But really. Let’s not focus on us. This was a great post and it was a funny as always😂
On a side note you’ve inspired us to write a post about how we’re kind of sporadic book bloggers. We’re unable to do what most bloggers do and post three or four times a week😂
Plotting like sort of counts, right?!? I’ve been writing plots for MONTHS and I get to the point where I’m just about to burst unless I start to actually turn them into books.😂 (But good luck to you for your plotting!) pINTEREST IS A CRUCIAL PART OF THE WRITING PROCESS. IT JUST IS.
Aww, Cait, we’ll miss you! But we all totally understand. Sometimes taking breaks are just necessary! And to write a book (which sounds FABULOUS by the way, I love stabby dark books)! I will be stalking your Twitter for snippets. And yes for diversity! But doesn’t writing really feel like your brain is melting? Once again, we will miss you and your cake jokes!
THANKS ERIN!! I SHALL MISS YOU TOO, JUST SO YOU KNOW. And dark stabby books are basically the best. And brain melting? YESSSSS. Like the first 2 days I can handle and then afterwards it’s like “which way do I use a fork”.
EEEEEEEP I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN THIS ENTIRE POST IS FILLED WITH SO MUCH GOLD. ASDFGHJKL MAYBE I’LL JUST FLAIL AND BASH MY KEYBOARD INCOHERENTLY INSTEAD. :”’) YEAH. First: eeeeeeeep I’m super excited for you, Cait!! YOU’RE SO RIGHT. EVERY BLOGGER NEEDS A BREAK. *nods violently* so enjoy it!! BUT NOT TOO MUCH. Because you should also be kind of like..you know. sad. for us. because we all will COMPLETELY WILT WITHOUT YOUR AWESOMENESS. :’) brb getting my emergency chocolate and oxygen tank.
PSHH WHAT I CANNOT EVEN COMPREHEND HOW MUCH OF A HERO YOU ARE. Like…you write a freaking dark fantasy trilogy for a NANO WARM-UP??? WHO DOES THIS?? ONLY HER MAGNIFICENCE, THE ROYAL DRAGON QUEEN CAIT. seriously you’re too fabulous for words. “I’m super lazy, which is like general lazy but I get to wear a cape.” <<< THAT NEEDS TO BE A T SHIRT AND IT NEEDS TO BE ON MY BODY STAT OK <3 omg I was laughing so hard. it's beautiful. asdfghjkl. :''''''') but tbh I was laughing through this entire post bECUASE IT IS LITERAL GOLLLLLLLLD and my dad was like "waht is so funny" and i was like *flails incoherently* BECAUSE IT'S ROUTINE FOR ME TO HAVE NO AIR AFTER READING ONE OF YOUR FABULOUS POSTS YEP. <3
OOOOH ADULT!! you have graduated into the land of darkness and chaos. *gives you some kind of trophy…shaped like a knife, probably* “Cue distant screams and childhood crayons exploding.” <<< ALSO COMPLETELY LOST IT AT THIS. *dries tears* ASDFGHKL I SHALL BE STALKING THAT PINTEREST BOARD AND YOUR TWITTER FOR SNIPPETS. THIS IS SO EXCITING!! EEEEEEP.
OMG DUDE NO I really don't know how you do it. I always balance writing and blogging because I HAVE NO IDEA how to write a book quickly. OH OH SGFKJLDSA HOW COULD I MOVE ON TO THE "LET'S CHAT" SECTION AND COMPLETELY MISS THE #3 SECTION LIKE HOLY BUCKETS THAT JUST DESCRIBED MY ENTIRE LIFE AND PROBABLY EVERY WRITER'S LIFE AND IT WAS BRILLIANT. CAN I HAVE A POSTER OF THAT WHOLE PARAGRAPH PLEASE IT'S GOING ON MY BEDROOM WALL. <3333333
but what was I saying?? ah yes, I can't remember the last time I took a hiatus from my blog… April?? LOL CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER APRIL HELP THIS POOR SEA SLUG. :') okay yes I'm totally going to bribe you for a post of snippets later…. WHAT CAN I BRIBE YOU WITH THOUGH?? PERHAPS I SHALL TAKE ALLLL YOUR CAKE AND PROMISE TO GIVE IT BACK ONLY WHEN YOU PROVIDE THESE SNIPPETS. *nods solomnly* yes I think this is a fair deal.
SHARE SOME OF THAT EMERGENCY CHOCOLATE WITH ME THO BECAUSE I’M GONNA NEED IT TOO. *flails and collapses* 😂
And yes I’m CRAZY. And it’s actually becoming a sort of habit?!? Last year I wrote a fantasy in October too!! Although like I’m giving myself a BIT more of break time between this and NaNo. Instead of doing two books basically back-to-back (like seriously wut idiot did that last year? Oh yeah, wait. Me.)
And dude, YES. I’m pretty sure the Super Lazy needs to be on a shirt. BUT I’M SO GLAD YOU FIND ME AMUSING BECAUSE THAT LITERALLY GIVES ME LIFE SO YAY FOR THAT THERE.😂
I am definitely won with cake. :’) But pfft, try to take my cake, Abbie. The dragons will have something to say here.🐉🐉🐉
The ability to make a simple post about not blogging (irony?) so ridiculously entertaining. That’s some serious skill. Great work, Cait. 🙂
I rarely take breaks from blogging. On the flipside, I’m terrible at balancing blogging and writing. As in, I have no hands or fingers and we’re talking about a 50-lb hunk of concrete terrible.
Your story concept sounds fascinating. Hope it goes well!
Writing a book truly is a love-hate relationship, isn’t it? Mostly on the hate/misery/utter failure side of the scale. Sometimes I think, “Wow, this is actually good. Maybe I can do this.” Other times it’s more like, “Why must the world and I suffer this torturous agony?”
Oomg thanks, Zachary!!😂 YOUR’E SO NICE. But ahh, I’m glad I’m not the only terrible multitasker around here. Like my brain just wants to hyper focus on ONE THING and if I try to add more? Pfft. My brain explodes. Very messy. 2/10 would not recommend.
And YES so much love/hate. Like I’ll end up adoring and LOATHING it in the same half hour.😂
I am on blog hiatus, too Cait because I want to write novel. We are definitely soulmate ＼(^0^)人(^0^)／I am not good with multitasking so if I do something, I basically have to abandon something else. Good luck for your writing 🙂 hope everything will went well 🙂
Oh we are TWINNING, HANA! *hi fives*
yeah!! *high five* (^0^)/\(^0^) then give you cakes
My blog breaks are more of laxy-to-do or no-time breaks. I love how you post regularly. good luck on the novel. Pls dont kill many souls.
I’ll just kill like….a few. I’ll be KIND I PROMISE.😈
NO CAIT DON’T LEAVE US. *cries*
Good luck with your novel though – it sounds absolutely amazing and I’m sure it’s going to turn out wonderfully. I can’t wait to read snippets when it’s finished! xD
THANKS ZOE. <3 Keep the blogging world in order while I'm gooooone.
Good luck with the book writing! Your idea sounds awesome 🙂
I’m currently balancing my blog and writing a book, and it has basically just meant my blogging getting much more sporadic…I’m just feeling much more inspired by the book at the moment though, so I’m sure the tides will turn at some point and I’ll find myself struggling with the book and blogging away happily. The joys of being a blogger/writer! 🙂
AGh yes RELATABLE.😂 I admire you for doing both at once though!! I just can’t ever seem to give enough time to both if I try to balance them. I FAAAIL at multi-tasking omg.
Your book sounds like the awesomeness that my reading life is waiting for. YES.
Thanks, Karen! YOU ARE SO KIND.
I’ll miss you soooooo much Cait! But good luck with your fantasy! (Mine is currently going crazy – who was the dingus who thought having nine different POVs would be a good idea?) Also, I love these pictures!
*pats shoulder* There there, I’LL BE BACK, MINNA. BEFORE YOU KNOW IT. But omg I’m dying that you said “dingus”. 😂 I thought my family was the only who said that. haha. AHEM. But omg 9 POVs is very intense!! I have 2 in this book but it’s a trilogy and by the 3rd I’m pretty sure there’ll be at least 4.😱
Good luck with your writing! It sounds AMAZING. And the Pinterest board is so pretty!
Eeeep, thankyou, Clara. <3
Aw, your book sounds nice. I WANT.
Simi
I AM GLAD YOU THINK SO.
AHHHHHHHH I hope this hiatus results in an aweeeesssommmmmeeee STABBY book! I need to know more!! (I will exchange cake for snippets on twitter :O) Also, I’m planning on writing my first proper novel this year during Nanowrimo!! I usually write 20-30 page short stories because I HAVE COMMITMENT ISSUES (seems like opposite yours) but I’m going to try to stick it through with a novel. Any tips on how to write a novel for THE FIRST TIME I’m so terrified :O
Anyway, GOOD LUCKKK, write an awesome book and eat chocolate!!
~Fari
I HOPE THE RESULTS ARE AWESOMENESS TOO. LET’S JUST CROSS OUR FINGERS AND HOPE HARD RIGHT?!😂 And cake will definitely be accepted. *nods* omggg, yay for you doing NaNo too!! I will be doing it and we can throw encouraging cake at each other.
(Oh and tips to finish…honestly…force yourself.😂 I think it’s SO IMPORTANT to finish a book because you learn a lot through editing. Sometimes outlining really helps because then you know where the book is headed and you don’t get lost in the middle.)
*sits in a Cait-less hole* Enjoy your little break!! I have to say I’ve been doing this blogging thing for nearly a year now and I haven’t actually taken a break. Which is insane. But I don’t want to! I don’t feel tired of it yet, if anything, I’ve got so much I want to say and share that I couldn’t possibly stop blogging. *clings on for dear life*
I’m not very good and balancing writing with other things. There’s a book I’ve been trying to write for YEARS. But as soon as I get busy I just stop. So hopefully when I graduate Uni at the end of the year I’ll have a sudden burst of inspiration and write the whole damn thing. Bring it.
THE WORLD IS A DARK PLACE WITHOUT ME. *sheds tear for the world’s suffering* But you’re like the power blogging queen then obviously! I have tons to say but then sometimes I’m like “JUST LET ME WATCH YOUTUBE VIDEOS AND NOT BE PRODUCTIVE AT ALL.” Which is currently what I’ve been doing since finishing writing.😂 Ahem. I’ll start blogging again soon I promise!
I just CAN’T write unless it’s the ONLY thing I’m doing. I can edit + exist in the world though….mostly because I can only edit one chapter and then I need to go cry and take a year break.😂 Ohhh, you could do NaNoWriMo with me?!??
Okay so I’ve totally been thinking about NaNoWriMo for ages now and I’ve been pondering your comment for a bit too. I wasn’t sure how I could participate AND keep up with uni – but then I realised I’ll be done by November. SO YES, LET’S DO IT. I’m going to participate in NaNoWriMo *victory dance*
Have a nice hiatus, I will miss you. Eat Cake!
Thankyou! AND I DID EAT CAKE. Coconut and strawberry. 🎉🍰🎉🍰
*crashes in blindly, glancing around*
dude it has been forever and a half since I have commented despite the fact that I read EVERY ONE OF YOUR POSTS, (basically: i am the worst at commenting and omg someone please help me)
So. I kind of maybe died that your “hiatus” is “20,000 words in one day.” I WAS ABLE TO DO 20k IN ONE DAY BUT I DON’T THINK I’LL EVER CONSIDER THAT A NICE, LOVELY BREAK. xD *shudder* I barely survived. how do you even.
and what the heck how is your outline so LONG. o.O ‘scuse me while I go freak out for your sanity.
And now is the time where I must question your photography skills. Because why. are. four. books. flying. in. the. air. and. how. does. that. work. Pretty sure you didn’t do that by trial and error as hilarious as that would be. (maybe you did? that would take great skill and then I’m convinced that your books are real or you are magical or something. weird.)
IT’S GOOD TO BE COMMENTING AGAIN BECAUSE I MISS THIS LOVELY LITTLE PLACE. (and the font in the comment section is very nice so that’s partially why I keep typing on and on because I don’t exactly want to stop seeing this cute lil font show up on my screen. much adorable.)
OKAY BYEE ALL THE LOVE. <3
OH HI, KATIE!!! I actually confess to not having commented on your blog in forever myself. Shaaame on me. So now I’ll be stalking your fantastically gorgeous posts, SO FAIR WARNING.
But seriously word counts just get easier the more you do it, right??! If you’d asked me 2 years ago if 20K days were an easy thing for me than I would’ve laughed. haha. Anyway. I broke my record so, ahem. Basically next time I write a book I’ll be finishing it before I start. #legit
I’M A WIZARD, KATIE. I ALREADY TOLD YOU THAT. (Also photo manipulation on picmonkey. But shhhh. I’m a wizard.)
WHAT DO I NEED TO GIVE YOU TO ENSURE WE GET A STEADY STREAM OF SNIPPETS???
YOU GOT HIT WITH THEM BIG TIME FROM ME NOW, DIDN’T YOU? I HOPE YOU’RE GLAD.
YES. I AM THE MOST GLAD. I LOVED THEM AND YOUR SNARKY HILARIOUS LITTLE BBYS <3
Taking breaks is important! Otherwise you can burn out easily. I had major burn out earlier this year and almost quit entirely, so definitely take the time when you need it!
I totally agree! I took a break in April for a week, but still…that’s a long time without a rest too haha. It’s nice to just not be thinking of posts or anything for a little while. :’)
Enjoy your break! I’ll look forward to reading your book!!
Aww, thankyou!
Dragons and writing and Stabby Tree PeopleYYYEEEESSS.
MY REACTION TOO HONESTLY. IT’S SO FUN TO WRITE THIS.😂
YOUR BOOK SOUNDS AMAZING OH MY GOD. You’re like an evil Australian GRRM in training hahahaha. I mean that as a compliment <3 and I really admire your ability to just WRITE. I've been trying for 5 years to finish one manuscript and I'm still at 30K words. That's like nothing to you. I don't have your fortitude I guess haha and I almost always pick reading over writing, even though I want to write. I think breaks of all kinds are good but I know what you mean about missing out! And your TBR always growing! It's stressful LOL.
YES YES THAT IS MY AIM. 😂 Bahahahah. I mean, no. I hope not.🙈🙊 I swear I’ll leave a FEW people alive. *nods* I think honestly the ability to just write like I do is just time! If you’d asked me 2 years ago if I could write 20K in a day, I would’ve laughed. It’s a thing you work up to!!
LOVED THIS POST, AS ALWAYS!
Also, I tagged you in tag on my blog that I created with my friend! I would love if you could check it out, and do it! You don’t have to of course, I just wanted to let you know!
Aww thank you Faith! You are so nice! And I’ll come check out the tag now. ;D
I take breaks all the time because I’m kind of lazy and my memory is the worst. I’m seriously waiting for the moment when I forget what my name is or who I am. But I think taking breaks is quite good, especially for writing epic adult fantasy book. Where are those fireworks when one needs them?! And of course, I’d be honestly glad if you posted snippets of your story. Pleeeeeease!!!
I have love – hate relationship with my draft too, because at one point I’m like “Yeah, that doesn’t sound bad. Actually it sound really good.” and then I’ll read something from S.J. Maas and I’ll be like “My writing SUCKS!” 😀
I’m waiting for the moment when I forget my name too, tbh. I forget how to spell it SO THAT’S PRETTY BAD.😂 Ahem. But yayyy for breaks on good occasion! And I will definitely do a snippet-y post soon. 😉
Aaaah Cait! Your book sounds so awesome, I just checked out your Pinterest board and woah. I’ll be the first in line if you do end up publishing this one trust me! You had me at fantasy and dragon queen and stabby tree people. Good luck with your writing, I’m sure it’ll go swimmingly! I can’t wait until this NaNoWriMo, I have an idea I’m very excited about but still don’t have completely outlined… which means it could end up just as disastrous as my 2014 NaNoWriMo did. *war flashbacks*
Eeeep, thank you so much, Emma! *flails* IT DID GO REALLY SWIMMINGLY SO THAT WAS A RELIEF.😂 I was a bit worried because I haven’t written epic fantasy since this time last year. But yaaas it was so fun. But exhausting. Hence the late comment replies. BUT I SHALL BE RETURNING IN FULL SOON. 🙂
I hope you do NaNo!! I will be so I can cheer for you!
I WANT TO READ YOUR BOOOOOOOOK. As for balancing writing and blogging, I can’t balance anything at all. Multi-tasking is not my forte.
But I’m commenting this a few days after you published this blog post, so surely you’ve finished now, right?
I’M REALLY GLAAAAD BECAUSE TRUST ME I’LL BE WHINING TO YOU TO READ IT SOON.😂 (Okay maybe not “soon”. It ended up as 130K so pls someone else edit this catastrophe.) I suck at multi-tasking so bad it’s almost hilarious. Although THAT SAYING I’m listening to music + answering comments = so go me I’M PRACTISING. Wooo.😂
This is excellent timing because I will be gone on vacation with no internet and would be unable to read your posts… SO CLEARLY YOU HAVE TIMED THIS PERFECTLY.
I hope your book writing goes well!
Dragons are the most diverse of ever so I seriously don’t get why people don’t understand that. 😛
…Also I read “unfortunately height-challenged protagonist” as HEIST-challenged. Well then. (We shall all be short people together tho’!)
Also you get spikes in your numbers when you don’t blog BECAUSE WE ALL COME GALLOPING OVER WONDERING WHERE ON EARTH OUR CAIT WENT BECAUSE HOW EVEN WHERE DID SHE GO.
“26 random letters stapled together in worse combinations than a packet of alphabet soup.” <–this sentence is life.
Your writing process of love-hate sounds accurate. *nods*
Also, so you know, I never take real hiatuses either. I always overwork and never take real breaks even when I pretend to. What is wrong with us height-challenged overachievers??? O_O
Hope you have/had/are having a marvelous hiatus. ^_^
I DID THIS JUST FOR YOU, DEBORAH. I am so kind. And yesss, the writing went super well. I’m actually all sad that I finished.😂 I’m going to plot out the 3rd book before I come back to blogging probably because I finished in 6 days and not the 7 to 10 that I estimated. ANYWAY I’M TOTALLY RAMBLING BUT I HAVEN’T BEEN TALKING TO ANYONE FOR LIKE A WEEK SO ‘SCUSE ME.😂
(I love writing short people though. Soooo many short jokes.😂)
I should take formal breaks. Instead I just realize I have not posted for days and then feel horribly guilty and then realize I am behind on comments and feel even more horribly guilty.
Enjoy your break and good luck with the writing 🙂
Jen @ YA Romantics
Getting behind on comments is the hardest thing honestly.🙈🙊 I decided I’d just reply this time and not comment back so I can catch up hahahaha. AHEM. But don’t feel guilty for taking breaks, Jen!! We all need them!
Well this sucks. I just came across your blog after seeing one of your posts on GR and NOW you’re going on hiatus?
As you are clearly a fellow sufferer of awesomeness (Definitely a known condition – see Lyft in Words of Radiance) this distresses me greatly. I would argue that the lack of you is going to bring a serious imbalance to whichever force is currently preventing the world from combustion, however you ARE working on releasing that equilibratory magnificent beast of a fantasy story into the wild…sooooo… things should work out.
Well, HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE BLOG ANYWAY!! *waves* And I’ll be back super soon.😂 I promise! (I’m like finished writing now but decided to catch up on comments before I post again hhaha. Ahem.)
And I’m sure the world is PERISHING WITHOUT ME actually. Let’s hope that my glorious writing is worth the damage to the universe. *nods sadly*
Hi, Cait! I actually have been on hiatus since May, because of… well real life. And I mean full on hiatus, no twitter and instagram.
I’m very curious about your adult book. And I agree that there are more limitations within YA genre, such as sex, death of characters, the level of violence etc.
As for leaving blogs unattended and feeling good about it, I guess I can say this about myself. It especially true during long hiatus. If its only a couple of weeks it’s hard, but as time pass and it became 3-4-6 month hiatus, it’s easier and easier.
But growing tbr-list, and all those new releases that I missed… It’s the hardest thing.
Anyway, good luck with your book! I hope to hear from you soon.
ohhh, well I hope life settles down for you soon so you can blog again! 🙂
And yes YA definitely has limitations which I didn’t ever think that I’d have problems with.😂 I’m like a 97% YA reader hahah. But I keep being told to tone down the violence in my books so I’m like “FINE I’LL WRITE ADULT THEN.” So we’ll see how it goes when the betas devour it.😂 Hopefully not too embarrassingly horrible… bahaha.
Anyway, I guess the longer the hiatus, the easier it is to just get out of habit maybe??
I haven’t ever taken a hiatus because one of my biggest things about blogging has been consistency. But I totally get what you’re saying: we all NEED breaks! It can be tiring sometimes. 🙂
Wishing you all the best with this hiatus, Cait – and looking forward to your return to blogging. 🙂
Breaks are really good!! I suppose especially if one is a blogger who blogs a loooot? Like me. BECAUSE OBSESSED.😂 ahem. But thankyou, Rissi! <3
I have never taken a long break before. I went through a phaze where I was only posting a Tell Me Tuesday and a Sunday Post for about five weeks and I loist about 2,000 views a month. Yikes. I just came off of the slide of the century, so there will be no break for a while. One thing I would like to do is get a bunch of posts prescheduled for next summer so I can read more on vacation, or write. Two thumbs up to your writing project I will see you in the flipside. 🙂
OH scheduling posts is a great idea! I always have grand ideas of doing that, but then I spend like an entire day fiddling with graphics for a post AND THERE GOES MY GRAND IDEAS.😂 I need to learn how to blog faster haha.
That’s weirdly cool that you get more followers when you hiatus! If that worked for me, I would hiatus permanently and just sit back and watch myself gain worldwide fame.
Don’t get me wrong, I love blogging and I love my blog, BUT I’m am so lazy that I feel like I could hiatus forever if it weren’t for MAJOR GUILT that I’m neglecting my baby. I guess this is what motherhood feels like???
Also it is ESPECIALLY hard for me to get back into a routine after having been gone for a while.
Well anyway! Happy hiatusing, we will miss you, but hopefully you have a nice break and get a lot done and possibly even get some sleep???
Bahahahh.😂 I mean, it’s a little exaggeration. I definitely get more followers when I’m active don’t worry. 😉 But just I always mentally imagine my blog turning into a dusty wasteland when I’m not around BUT REALLY THAT’S JUST DRAMATIC AND IT’S NOT SO BAD.
But pfft. What is sleep. Who needs it.😂
Your books sound AMAZING, Cait- just like everything else about you, of course! Hope this hiatus proves to be very fruitful (cakeful?)- good luck! Love your summary about your writing process, btw, Doesn’t sound too stressful or anything 😀
Omg you’re too nice.😂 And YES PLEASE I WILL TAKE THE FRUIT CAKE. Let’s hope it’s a fruitful (cake) hiatus for sure *nods*
GOOD LUCK although you probably don’t need it and also this comment is very late because I TOOK A BLOGGING HIATUS, technically i’m going to be on a hiatus for the whole year because OMG ART SCHOOL IS NOT A JOKE. but i’ll still be blogging, sporadically, i hope. probably writing and scheduling posts in bursts and have a very weak comment game. :O
fun fact: i have a folder in my emails for POSTS I NEED TO READ that i put all my unread email subscribed posts into and it’s basically just full of all your posts mixed in with bloglovin roundups xD
Ohhh art school iS A HUGE DEAL AND ALSO CONGRATS FOR BEING EPIC AND GOING TO ART SCHOOL !!!!! Like, eeeep. I shall be in the presence of a famous art master!! WOOOO. *flails* And also don’t feel like you have to read my posts, honest, Hawwa!! I love your comments of course. But school is important. So no guilt, ya year me.😂
Can I just say, I want to grow up to be just as amazing as you are, Cait?! All these books you’re writing and everything, I am IMPRESSED by your crazy imagination and everything, I only wish I was capable of doing this. And here I am, not writing anything and panicking about it because I WANT to, yet I can’t seem to do so. ANYWAY, I saw on Twitter that you finished writing your gargantuous book and CONGRATULATIONS, yay!!! Also, this means you’ll be back to blogging soon and I AM HAPPY ABOUT THAT. I love reading all of your blog posts so much.
I LOVE your book idea, really. And, to answer your questions, I do not balance blogging and writing, because I’m mainly blogging and not writing at all, though I would like to be doing so as well. I just need to be able to function properly without any sleep at all, I guess, haha. I do take blogging hiatuses at times whenever I know my days are going to be busy or I will be travelling, but I miss it SO MUCH and I feel like I am missing out as well when I’m not here? If that even makes some sense ahah.
Awww, YOU’RE TOO NICE TO ME. <3 And yes! Hiatus is over and I'm back to blogging! I did miss it a lot, hehe, but it's also nice to switch my brain over to something else for a while and just chill about the blog for a bit.😂 But agh, multi-tasking is SO HARD. But who needs sleep? Okay FINE. I need sleep. But I'd get so much more done if I didn't.😂 (And omg I totally relate to the "feeling like I'm missing out" thing. *nods* I always feel sooo out of touch when I come back from hiatus!)
Well I have just had my first break when I went on holiday in August but I needed a much apparent one *shakes head*, I tend overuse my brain on a daily basis and with the stuff I had planned over the summer well..let’s just say that I fell over the wagon. When I say I had a break on my holiday it kind of isn’t my fault since I went all of a sudden and I barely had any internet there. That was both a good and bad, being away from the internet world did me some good but unfortunately I feel like I am a burnt out, so I am trying to get back in to blogging. Not easy when you feel overwhelmed by what I have missed. Even though I am not a writer, I can clearly not balance things=total fail :'(
Overusing your brain? ME TOOOO. It can be a problem for we creatives, right?! 😭😂 And I think it’s okay to feel a bit out-of-touch, because I felt that way for just being away for a week! So like give yourself a chance to get back into it and don’t be too hard on yourself, okay?! I SHALL GIVE YOU CAKE NOW.
Hahahah..OMG! You are so right!!! I know the feeling, and I will. Reading your blog makes me feel so much better so thank you and for the cake too! *eats in one mouthful*
Me: *returns from a month-long blogging hiatus*
Me: *in a Gandalf voice* I HAVE NO MEMORY OF THIS PLACE.
Me: *flees to the few blogs I do, in fact, remember*
Me: BUT WHERE TO START, THEY POSTED SO MUCH?!
Me: *sees that Cait helpfully POSTED ABOUT BLOGGING HIATUSES*
Me: Aaah. I am home.
So, uhm, anyway. YAS, YAS, AND YAAAAAAAS. It’s soooooo difficult to juggle writing and blogging – and that’s not even mentioning Uni and/or work and/or humans who intrude on our humanless hours and all the other nonsensical things we’re forced to do instead of blogging/writing/reading, which is always preferrable. #rude #sorude
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY YOU MUST PUBLISH AND/OR DISTRIBUTE THIS BOOK (TRILOGY)… AND/OR FEED IT TO THE SELECT FEW THROUGH NEFARIOUS CHANNELS OF UNDERWORLDLY COMMUNICATION. (*volunteers as tribute*) Just sayin’. ‘TIS WONDERFUL, ‘TIS MARVELOUS! And dude, I keep returning to the first non-embarrassing paranormal story I wrote ooooover and over and oooOOooOOooOooOooOOver again. It no longer falls under attachment issues, it’s now a question of codependency. I mean, I write other stuff, and when I’m in the middle of that other thing I’m like “Pfff, forget the past stories, THIS IS IT”. But then, eventually, I’ll go running back to that first one and being all clingy and rewriting it and polishing it and singing it lullabies and befriending its characters and murdering them all when they get comfortable. Y’know. The usual around these parts.
P.S. I vote for many-a-marriage-many-a-death plan, fyi. There’s something Shakespearean about it. Just when you THINK it’ll end well… FOOL! OPTIMISTIC FOOL!
P.P.S. I both love and hate my first drafts as I’m doing them, and nearly always hate them when complete. But not thoroughly. Like, I fall in love with the atmosphere and the story I’d concocted in my head, but hate the way that didn’t quite translate to the page. So it’s like YOU *whacks with a stick* HAVE *whacks with a stick* POTENTIAL *whacks with a stick* WHY *whacks with a stick* WON’T *whacks with a stick* YOU *whacks with a stick* SUBMIT *whacks with a stick* TO *whacks with a stick* IT?!?!?! I guess… that’s normal…? I mean… surely so? Right? … Right?
OH WHO ARE YOU? I FORGOT THAT YOU EXISTED. I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD REMEMBER YOU….OHHH, IT’S COMING BACK, IT’S JUST FOGGY.😂 Ahem. I’m sorry. I try to be nice…but also I DON’T THINK I CAN? So here I am. *gives you cake anyway even if doesn’t remember you at all* 😉😉 (Mwhahhaah.)
I do love crushing hearts and souls in my writing, as you know, so there’s basically no better ending then EVERYONE DYING HORRIBLY and me watching readers dissolve into psychotic traumatised pain. If I ever get published I will be sure to add “don’t read this book” onto the back cover. Or better yet, that can be the title! I AM SO KIND.
Also these series that we started a looong time ago and can’t let go of? BLESS THEM. They are like our firstborns that we’re not willing to let grow up and leave home. NO! LOCK THEM IN THE ATTIC! FEED THEM ONLY GRUEL! TELL THEM WE LOVE THEM! (Omg…there’s…something wrong with me.) But I’m also very glad you have a co-dependant series too. It makes me feel so much better for rewriting a book 7 years later ahhahhahhaha hahha. AHem.
I think we’re both normal. This conversation confirms it.
Hi! I’m trying to find some blogging friends and I loooooovvvvvee that you loooooooovvvve to read. Actually, I read a book a week and people are like… “Do you have a life?” and I’m like “yeah I juts always seem to fit reading into it every so often. Reading is amazing and I am friends with anyone who thinks so too! Love this blog can’t wait to see more posts and check out mine when you can!
-Artsygrl777
WELL YOU’VE COME TO THE RGIHT PLACE, MY NEW FRIEND. *bookish hi five* I adore reading! I often read a book in a day, hehe. (I mean, who needs a social life…or sleep.) 😂 But I’m so glad you like my blog and I’ll look forward to flailing with you over books!! (What are your favourite books?)